Several news media are reporting that the long awaited Special Counsel report could be issued very soon. We have no idea of what the report will contain, how thick it will be, and what the general public will get to know from it. By law, the report will be marked confidential, and the entire report will be sent only to the Attorney General, the newly appointed Robert Barr. Barr alone will decide what to do with it -- summarize and release part of the findings is the most likely option, although Barr could suppress the entire report if he so chose.

Congress, of course, can subpoena the report if they feel Barr has been less than candid.

There is speculation in the media that the report will not likely find "criminal intent" against Trump, but the political revelations could be highly damaging. It is also likely to be narrowly confined to just the Russian collusion aspect. There are related ongoing investigations regarding Michael Cohen's cooperation and Roger Stone's sideshow. These will likely continue to be pursued by regular channels within the FBI.

With unfinished business in the FBI, one can speculate why Mueller is calling his mission complete or perhaps it is just a milestone for a status report. Perhaps Barr ordered him to wrap it up by the end of February. Or maybe all the attorneys working on the case feel it is time for them to go home and let others continue the many new investigations that have arisen.

The last week of February could be a major time in history if Barr quickly shares the findings to the public. Otherwise we'll have to rely on leaks. Stay tuned...

The individual who could be widely hurt by the report has the ability to throw it into a raging fireplace. Justice and accountability are essential. I hope for the unadulterated truth to rise to the surface. Hopeful but 20% skeptical.

Let's hope that Barr is a smart man and stays clear of Trump because, as noted, if there is any effort to cover it up within the DOJ, key documents will be leaked exposing any information covering up Trump's criminal behavior, including leaks of the full Mueller Report if not released to the public.

Barr does not impress me to as a Trump stooge who is going to commit crimes to save Trump. If I were to take a guess, Barr likely thinks Trump is a total fuckup, and has no hesitation about letting Trump continue to hang himself.

Personally, I suspect the timing of the report is no accident, and if I were to bet, I'd say Mueller chose the timing, not Barr. Mueller and Barr are likely to be on the same page, and the timing simply makes Barr look good in the eyes of Trump, while in fact Barr is unlikely doing anything to help Trump. Maybe I am being slightly too optimistic, I just don't see him as a stooge like so many that love to lie on Trump's behalf. I just don't see him justifying that Trump is above the law and goes along with reinventing reality according to Trump's daily tweets. Barr is not Rudy.

Several news media are reporting that the long awaited Special Counsel report could be issued very soon. We have no idea of what the report will contain, how thick it will be, and what the general public will get to know from it. By law, the report will be marked confidential, and the entire report will be sent only to the Attorney General, the newly appointed Robert Barr. Barr alone will decide what to do with it -- summarize and release part of the findings is the most likely option, although Barr could suppress the entire report if he so chose.

Congress, of course, can subpoena the report if they feel Barr has been less than candid.

There is speculation in the media that the report will not likely find "criminal intent" against Trump, but the political revelations could be highly damaging. It is also likely to be narrowly confined to just the Russian collusion aspect. There are related ongoing investigations regarding Michael Cohen's cooperation and Roger Stone's sideshow. These will likely continue to be pursued by regular channels within the FBI.

With unfinished business in the FBI, one can speculate why Mueller is calling his mission complete or perhaps it is just a milestone for a status report. Perhaps Barr ordered him to wrap it up by the end of February. Or maybe all the attorneys working on the case feel it is time for them to go home and let others continue the many new investigations that have arisen.

The last week of February could be a major time in history if Barr quickly shares the findings to the public. Otherwise we'll have to rely on leaks. Stay tuned...

Schmidt, can't they do anything "normal" in this country? Such report should be completely in the "open", not just having one "loyal" Trump supporter (Barr) who defines what should be blacked out or edited. In any other country "if" something like this is produced "the people" should be able to read the whole thing. It will be an total joke if it will be "audited" Typical only possible in this country.

Furthermore, if this is actually released; then again I'm disappointed in the justice system here. Why is n't Kussner in jail yet, let alone Ivanka. What about all the money laundering? If like you say, there was not found any "criminal intent"; then I'm flabbergasted; I would think "money laundering" and "tax evasion" should be enough to put him behind "bars", let alone playing traitor with an foreign entity.

If this report is so "weak" as you describe then what is all the "hoepla" about it? Wow what an disaster.

I bet Trump gave Barr exact instructions what he is "allowed" to do.

In my opinion, I believe that this report is not ready for quite a long time; there are still plenty of loose ends.

But to whom? The president's men and possibly women? You know, trump is Teflon, nothing sticks, especially when we have a GOP controlled senate and right wing supreme court. Don't hold your breath Smitty.

Schmidt, "it is not the justice", it is the way on how with twists and turns and they (GOP, Trump, Barr and others) will "play" with it. Nothing in this country ever will be done "straightforward" because of allowing all kinds of interference from all sides.

Let the "circus" begin. ( Sorry, it "was" an circus already from day one!)

Dockadams and Dutch -- I agree that things look grim with Trump getting his cronies into the Justice Department and the Supreme Court. However, I am optimistic that Robert Mueller's report along with all the ongoing investigations by the Southern District of New York, and the various Congressional committees, everyone who lied to the FBI or Congressional committees, obstructed justice, or conspired with foreign countries (not only Russia) will be revealed. Some will be charged with crimes and maybe a few cooperators or little fish will be left untouched other than their reputations being tarnished forever.

Some will be pardoned by Trump, but those pardons will also be an admission of guilt. If Mueller doesn't bring indictments against some in that circus, it does not mean they are off scot free. The wheels of justice move slowly at times, but ultimately those who do the crime will do the time (pardons excepted).

If I am wrong, then you are more than welcome to point that middle finger at me and say, "I told you so!". I will humbly submit that I was wrong.

Now I also realize that it will take a long time to recover from this nightmare presidency. The Supreme Court will be Trump's biggest legacy outlasting his lifetime.

Dockadams and Dutch -- I agree that things look grim with Trump getting his cronies into the Justice Department and the Supreme Court. However, I am optimistic that Robert Mueller's report along with all the ongoing investigations by the Southern District of New York, and the various Congressional committees, everyone who lied to the FBI or Congressional committees, obstructed justice, or conspired with foreign countries (not only Russia) will be revealed. Some will be charged with crimes and maybe a few cooperators or little fish will be left untouched other than their reputations being tarnished forever.

Some will be pardoned by Trump, but those pardons will also be an admission of guilt. If Mueller doesn't bring indictments against some in that circus, it does not mean they are off scot free. The wheels of justice move slowly at times, but ultimately those who do the crime will do the time (pardons excepted).

If I am wrong, then you are more than welcome to point that middle finger at me and say, "I told you so!". I will humbly submit that I was wrong.

Now I also realize that it will take a long time to recover from this nightmare presidency. The Supreme Court will be Trump's biggest legacy outlasting his lifetime.

Sure, but I want to bet that big fights will start over the contents, let alone about what will be revealed to the public. Trump and his cronies are scared to death to find out things which "damages" their "great leader" (ho hum), and if he gets another tantrum because of it. An great solution would be if they put him in jail in Hanoi for US war crimes committed there.

In the piece, Mathis-Lilly perfectly sums up the two most extreme scenarios where on one side Attorney General Barr refuses to release most or all of the report because no additional charges were recommended by Mueller and on the other where Mueller charges Don. Jr, Jared Kushner, and (insert any number of other names here) and lays out a "map to impeachment." Both scenarios are entirely possible and so are a million other scenarios in between.

I'm personally preparing myself to be somewhat, if not totally, disappointed in whatever Mueller reports, if we ever get to actually see what he reports at all.

In the piece, Mathis-Lilly perfectly sums up the two most extreme scenarios where on one side Attorney General Barr refuses to release most or all of the report because no additional charges were recommended by Mueller and on the other where Mueller charges Don. Jr, Jared Kushner, and (insert any number of other names here) and lays out a "map to impeachment." Both scenarios are entirely possible and so are a million other scenarios in between.

I'm personally preparing myself to be somewhat, if not totally, disappointed in whatever Mueller reports, if we ever get to actually see what he reports at all.

I also can see it going both ways. What concerns me the most is that Trump has been extremely unwavering about his complete innocence of 100% everything. It is possible that he has been told many times by the DOJ something like this:

"Mr. President, We can't provide you with any details about the investigation, but we can assure you that you and your family have nothing to worry about. The outcome will have nothing to do with you directly."

Statements like that hypothetical example would be within the bounds of what the DOJ could say to Trump without revealing any factual details. Or trump has received leaked information from a source within the DOJ who is only leaking to Trump, not the media.

If Trump knew he was at high risk of being indited, or even exposed as a fraud, I can't imagine he would be so calm about an impending report that lays everything out. I think he'd be prone to make a deal to resign rather than let the facts become public.... Trump's behavior suggests he already knows what is in the report in a general sense, and that he already knows he will be able to get on the blow horn saying "I told you so, but nobody believed me. I am that good![wink][wink][wink] . And I want to thank everybody who made it happen[wink]"

I think the report will fall somewhere in-between the two Ben Mathis-Lilly scenarios. Mueller will lay out a case for impeachment of Donald Trump, but perhaps it will all be circumstantial -- the evidence of everything gathered that collectively points towards criminal intent, but not one thing in isolation that directly implicates Trump. This could be the worst case scenario because even if the House impeaches Trump, the Senate Republicans will not convict. And then Trump will brag that the whole thing was a witch hunt, and he will use his "get out of jail free card" to embark on business as usual.

Trump is putting on a public "brave face" of denial and he will do that no matter what is in the report. That is why he has continually worked to keep his base loyal. He will need them and use them when the shit hits the fan.

A Mueller spokesperson has now said the report will not be released next week as many had speculated. That may be because they don't want to embarrass Trump while he is overseas negotiating his Nobel Peace Prize. Or it may also be that the final testimony of Michael Cohen before three Congressional Committees as well as his additional meetings with Federal agents needs to be incorporated into the report -- maybe to shore up the findings, but not contradict them in any way. Cohen is said to be more fully cooperating hoping for a reduction in sentence.

The so called "political damage" of the Mueller findings will only do damage if Barr releases them. That remains a concern for many of us.

In any case, we should not expect that the investigations will come to a halt. Mueller might claim his original mandate has been completed as best he can given that Manafort and Stone are not talking and awaiting their pardons. But all those other criminal activities being handled out of the New York office are not going away.

Yes Schmidt, you describe it the way it is. In other words "real" justice does not exist in this country. It all depends on who you are, how much money you have, what power you can yield and who have promised "loyalty" to you. Just like Trump said: "I can kill someone on Time Square and no one cares". Thus the "mob" wins.